Sick Building Syndrome - History

History

In the late 1970s, it was noted that non-specific symptoms was reported by tenants in newly constructed homes, offices and nurseries. In media it was called "office illness”. "The term "Sick Building Syndrome" was coined by WHO in 1986 when they also estimated that 10-30% of newly built office buildings in the West had indoor air problems. Early Danish and British studies reported symptoms.

Poor indoor environments attracted attention. The Swedish Allergy study (SOU 1989:76) designated "sick building" as a cause of the allergy epidemic as was feared. In the 1990s, was therefore carried out extensive research into the "sick building". Various physical and chemical factors in the buildings were examined on a broad front.

The problem was highlighted increasingly in media and was described as a "ticking bomb". Many studies were performed in individual buildings.

In the 1990s "sick buildings" were contrasted against "healthy buildings". The chemical contents of building materials was highlighted. Many building material manufacturers were actively working to gain control of the chemical content and to replace criticized additives. The ventilation industry advocated above all, more well-functioning ventilation. Other perceived ecological construction, natural materials and simple techniques as a solution.

At the end of the 1990s came an increased distrust of the concept of "sick building". A dissertation at Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm 1999 questioned the methodology of previous research and a Danish study from 2005 showed these flaws experimentally. It was suggested that Sick Building Syndrome was not really a coherent syndrome. And it was not a disease to be individually diagnosed. In 2006 the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare recommended in the medical journal Läkartidningen that "Sick building syndrome" should not be used as a clinical diagnosis. Thereafter, it has become increasingly uncommon to use terms such as "sick buildings" and "Sick Building Syndrome" in research. However, the concept remains alive in popular culture.